Chapter 53 - The Freshers Party
By Wednesday evening, Valmere Academy hardly looked like an academy anymore.
The usually quiet corridors were filled with music and voices.
Banners hung between the stone pillars.
Small lights floated beneath the ceiling, casting a warm glow across the halls.
Students moved everywhere, dressed differently than they usually were for classes.
For once...
Nobody seemed to be in a hurry to get to their next lesson.
Lyra stood in front of the mirror in her room.
She looked at herself for a moment.
Then at Amy.
"...Do I really have to wear this?"
Amy looked up from where she was fixing her hair.
"Yes."
Lyra glanced down at her dress.
It was simple.
Nothing too elaborate.
Still...
"...It's uncomfortable."
"You've said that three times."
"Because it is."
Amy laughed.
"You'll get used to it."
Lyra sighed.
She looked at the mirror again.
"...I still prefer my uniform."
"Of course you do."
Amy walked over and adjusted a small part of Lyra's hair.
"There."
Lyra looked at her reflection.
"...Better?"
"Much."
A knock came from the door.
Before either of them could answer, Mina's voice came through.
"Are you two ready?"
Amy opened the door.
Mina stood outside with an expression that suggested she had been waiting for this moment her entire life.
"Finally!"
"We weren't late."
"I know."
Mina grabbed Amy's hand.
Then Lyra's.
"But everyone is already downstairs."
"Mina—"
"Come on!"
Lyra barely had time to react before Mina started pulling them down the corridor.
Celia and Nora were waiting near the staircase.
Celia adjusted her glasses.
"You survived Amy's torture."
Lyra looked at Mina.
"Barely."
Mina ignored her.
"Let's go!"
Nora gave Lyra a small smile.
"You look nice."
Lyra paused.
"...Thank you."
Nora nodded.
Then looked away again.
Mina immediately pointed at her.
"See? Even Nora agrees."
"I didn't say anything about you."
"I know."
"...Then why are you bringing me into this?"
"Because I can."
Celia sighed.
"Let's just go."
They started down the stairs.
The music became louder.
And when Lyra stepped onto the lower floor...
She stopped.
The entire hall had been transformed.
Lights floated above the crowd.
Decorations covered the walls.
Tables had been moved aside to create a large open space.
Music filled the room.
Students were everywhere.
Some were dancing.
Some were gathered around tables.
Others stood in small groups, talking and laughing.
Lyra slowly looked around.
"...They really did all this."
Amy smiled.
"Told you."
Lyra nodded.
"...It's nice."
Mina gasped.
"Nice?"
She grabbed Lyra's shoulders.
"It's amazing."
Lyra laughed quietly.
"Okay."
"Say it properly."
"...It's amazing."
"Thank you."
Celia shook her head.
"You're too much"
Mina smiled proudly.
"I know."
It didn't take long for Mina to disappear into the crowd.
"Mina!"
Amy called after her.
Too late.
She was already dancing.
Nora watched her for a moment.
"...She's going to fall."
Lyra nodded.
"Probably."
Celia adjusted her glasses.
"Definitely."
They watched Mina spin around.
She nearly collided with another student.
Amy covered her mouth.
"She's fine."
Lyra raised an eyebrow.
"That was close."
"Still fine."
Mina turned around and waved at them.
"I saw that!"
Amy laughed.
Lyra couldn't help smiling.
It felt strange.
Not bad.
Just...
Different.
She hadn't expected to enjoy this.
She had spent so much time thinking about classes, training, examinations and everything else waiting for her beyond the academy walls.
Tonight, none of it seemed particularly important.
For once...
She was simply there.
With her friends.
"You actually came."
Seren's voice came from behind them.
Lyra turned.
Black Crest stood nearby.
Seren had a cup in one hand.
Riven was holding two.
Kaelen stood beside them, looking considerably less impressed with the decorations.
Lucian was talking to another student.
Erix stood slightly apart from the group.
Seren looked at Lyra.
Then Amy.
Then Lyra again.
"...You clean up surprisingly well."
Lyra stared at him.
"...Was that supposed to be a compliment?"
"Absolutely."
"It didn't sound like one."
"That's because you're not used to my kindness."
Riven snorted.
"You're not kind."
Seren looked offended.
"How could you say that?"
"Because I've known you for years."
"...Fair."
Lyra shook her head.
"You two...."
Seren pointed at her.
"See?"
Riven frowned.
"See what?"
"She's starting to sound like us."
Lyra folded her arms.
"...That's unfortunate."
Riven laughed.
"She's definitely one of us now."
Kaelen looked at them.
"...I don't remember agreeing to this."
Seren smiled.
"Too late."
A little later, everyone gathered around one of the tables.
Food covered nearly every available space.
Mina had somehow returned with enough snacks for three people.
Celia stared at the pile.
"Are you planning to eat all of that?"
"No."
Mina pointed at Riven.
"He is."
Riven looked offended.
"Why me?"
"Because you're always eating."
"That's not true."
Lyra glanced at the food.
"You've already taken three."
Riven looked at her.
"...You're counting?"
"I was"
Seren burst out laughing.
"She's keeping records now."
Riven grabbed another snack.
"Then I'll give you something worth recording."
Lyra looked at him.
"...What?"
He took a bite.
"...This."
Lyra stared.
Seren nearly choked laughing.
"That was terrible."
"I know."
Riven smiled.
"I'm proud of it."
Kaelen quietly moved one of the plates farther away from them.
"Please don't encourage him."
Across the table, Elias approached.
He stopped beside Amy.
"Hey."
Amy looked up.
"Oh, hi."
Elias smiled.
"You came."
Amy laughed.
"Of course I came."
"I wasn't sure."
"Why wouldn't I?"
"I don't know."
He held out a drink.
"I brought this for you."
Amy blinked.
"For me?"
"Yeah."
She accepted it.
"Thanks."
Elias smiled.
"No problem."
Mina slowly looked toward Celia.
Celia noticed.
Nora noticed too.
All three exchanged the same look.
Amy didn't seem to notice.
Elias stayed for another moment.
"You looked good during the dance earlier."
Amy smiled.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
He nodded.
"You were good."
"Thanks."
He smiled again before returning to his group.
Mina leaned closer.
"...Interesting."
Amy looked at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Celia adjusted her glasses.
"Absolutely nothing."
Nora quietly nodded.
Amy frowned.
"...Why are all of you looking at me like that?"
"We aren't."
"You are."
Mina smiled innocently.
"Drink your drink."
Amy narrowed her eyes.
"...You're acting suspicious."
Later, the music changed.
Mina immediately dragged Amy onto the dance floor.
"Come on!"
"I've already danced!"
"That doesn't count."
"It definitely counts."
"No!"
Amy laughed as Mina pulled her away.
Celia shook her head.
"Nora?"
Nora hesitated.
Then looked toward the dance floor.
"...Maybe."
Celia smiled.
"Go."
Nora followed them.
Lyra remained behind.
She watched them for a moment.
Then heard a voice beside her.
"You're not dancing."
She turned.
Erix.
"...I already did."
"Once."
"That was enough."
He looked toward the dance floor.
Mina was spinning Amy around.
Nora was trying to follow them.
Celia was attempting to keep everyone from crashing into each other.
"...You looked less confused earlier."
Lyra looked at him.
"...Was that supposed to be an insult?"
"No."
"Then what was it?"
He thought for a moment.
"...Observation."
She rolled her eyes.
"You're still annoying."
"I know."
A small smile appeared on her face.
Erix noticed.
He didn't comment.
Instead, he looked toward the dance floor again.
"...You're enjoying yourself."
Lyra glanced around.
The lights.
The music.
Her friends.
The noise.
The laughter.
She nodded.
"...Yeah."
A brief silence followed.
Then Erix said,
"...Good."
Lyra looked at him.
He had already turned away.
She smiled faintly.
The evening continued.
Lyra ate more than she expected.
She talked with Amy.
She listened to Mina's increasingly dramatic stories.
She watched Riven argue with Seren over something that didn't matter.
At one point, Kaelen had to separate them because their argument had somehow become a competition.
Lucian returned to the table and looked at them.
"...What happened?"
Kaelen sighed.
"They're arguing about who is better at dancing."
Lucian looked toward Seren and Riven.
"...Neither of them can dance."
"I know."
Kaelen looked exhausted.
Lyra laughed.
She hadn't realized how much she needed this.
No training.
No examinations.
No strange voices.
No Western Tower.
Just one ordinary evening.
For once...
she allowed herself to forget everything else.
Eventually, Lyra noticed her cup was empty.
She looked toward the stairs.
"The drinks are upstairs, right?"
Amy nodded.
"Yeah."
"I'll get one."
"Want me to come?"
Lyra shook her head.
"No. Stay."
Amy smiled.
"Okay."
Lyra picked up her empty cup.
She glanced once toward the crowded hall.
Then started toward the stairs.
Behind her, the music continued.
The lights flickered softly above the crowd.
Laughter filled the room.
And for a few more moments...
Everything was perfectly normal.
Lyra reached the upper floor.
The noise below became quieter while the noise in the upper floor started increasing.
She walked toward the refreshment tables.
Reached for a drink.
And then—
CRACK.
Lyra froze.
Her hand stopped halfway.
She slowly turned toward the sound.
The windows at the far end of the hall had shattered.
Something had come through them.
Something large.
Something that should never have been here.
Lyra's eyes widened.
"...No."
The creature lifted its head.
And its eyes found hers.